Figure 3. CD4+ T cells of EAE Bcl11bF/F/dLck-iCre mice accumulate in the enlarged mLNs, Peyer patches, and SILP, proliferate normally, and do not cause overt colitis.
(A) Gross anatomy of dLNs and mLNs from the indicated EAE groups on day 12 after EAE induction. Data are representative of 10 pairs. (B) Absolute numbers of CD4+ T cells in the indicated groups and tissues on day 12 after EAE induction. *P ≤ 0.05; n = 10 (mean ± SEM). (C and D) FACS analysis of CD4, and IL-17, CD44 and CD25 within the CD4+ T cells–gated population in Peyer patches (PP) (C) and SILP (D) on day 18 after EAE induction. (E) H&E staining of small intestine sections of the indicated groups on day 18 after EAE induction. Scale bars: 400 μm. Data in C–E are representative of 3 pairs of mice. (F) FACS analysis of BrdU incorporation (top) and Ki67 levels (bottom) in the indicated tissues and groups of EAE mice. Data are representative of 3 pairs of mice. (G) Proliferation of Bcl11b-deficient and WT cells evaluated by CFSE dilution. Naive CD4+ T cells of Bcl11bF/F/dLck-iCre/2D2 and Bcl11bF/F/2D2 mice were labeled with CFSE and incubated for 3 days with plate-bound anti-CD3 and soluble anti-CD28, followed by FACS analysis of CFSE dilution. Red lines indicate CFSE levels following 3 days of treatment; black lines indicate unstimulated cells after 3 days; and gray shaded areas indicate CFSE levels on day 0. Data are representative of 3 pairs of mice.